When the winter drags on and you just want to cuddle under a fluffy blanket, what’s the perfect way to chase away the winter blues? Binge-watching shows? Well, yes, but also comfort food! Hot beverages, indulgent meals, and sweet desserts all come to mind. We tested a few easy-to-make comfort food ideas that won’t have you on your feet in the kitchen all day.
Vegan Mac, gluten free, USDA organic
He said: From my experience, when I read the words “vegan” and “gluten-free” on a label I assume it means flavor-free too. I was happily surprised that this was not the case with Annie’s Mac & Cheese. This was exactly like traditional mac & cheese, other than the noodles having a slightly gummy texture. Our three year old asked for seconds and thirds of this.
4 stars
She Said: Finding quality products that are both dairy- and gluten-free has been frustratingly tough. Our family had given up our beloved mac & cheese, but this one might do. It passed the kid test, but it’s not for me. It had the best gluten-free noodle texture I’ve tried, but the cheese sauce smelled so strange. It was creamy, but tasted nothing like dairy cheese.
3 stars
Refrigerated flaky biscuits, USDA organic
He Said: I didn’t know Jen put these in the oven. All the sudden there was the heavenly smell of baking bread wafting through our house. Once they were out, I realized how dangerously good they are – light and fluffy with an irresistible buttered bread flavor. I seriously had to restrain myself from eating every single one of them.
5 stars
She Said: Bread that’s flaky, doughy, buttery and slightly sweet – the epitome of comfort food. Eat them straight from the oven for pure deliciousness. Eating three of them was worth the stomach bloat. Handy tip: Don’t forget your stretchy pants.
5 stars
Coconut assam black tea, USDA organic
He Said: This tea had an odd assortment of tastes. It started all nice and normal with a tart fruit and bitter black tea flavors. From there it got weird. It went floral, a bit soapy, and I swear I tasted dill weed. So yeah, not my cup of tea.
2 stars
She Said: A hot cup of tea on a chilly night sounds cozy, unless you’ve opened Pandora’s box. It was supposed to be a “sweet and nutty” coconut. Ha ha! It smelled like pickles, tasted like bitter pickles, and honey just made it worse. Pickles!? Time for a new taste tester at Mighty Leaf!
1 star
Coco Moko shortbread, gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO
He Said: Do you ever think to yourself, I have too much saliva in my mouth? You do?! Well this is the product for you, then. These Coco Moko cookies will turn your mouth into an arid desert in seconds. Aside from the cranberries, they were fairly devoid of flavor as well.
2 stars
She Said: The cranberries were the only saving grace in this cookie, and there weren’t enough of them. The bulk of the cookie was bland and slightly grainy, but did have the overall density of shortbread. The only way to eat these would be dunked in a super sweet coffee or tea.
2 stars
White Bean Kale & Millet Soup, USDA organic
He Said: You know I can usually find something I like about every product we review. In fact, it’s very rare to find a product with no redeemable qualities. This is one of those rare times. This “soup” tasted like warmed garbage with beans. It was absolutely foul and I’m amazed Whole Foods put it on the shelf.
1 star
She Said: This soup is good for two things: keeping a store shelf warm, and preventing a vampire attack. Seriously, there’s not enough mouthwash in the world to tame the salty spoonfuls of intense garlic and kale awfulness. I dislike throwing away food, but I just couldn’t finish this.
1 star
